Mad Love

Matt Leland is a straight-laced high school senior who helps raise his 9-year-old twins and looks after his workaholic father. With his mom long gone, he acts as the parental figure at home, balancing schoolwork with caregiving. This dynamic anchors his worldview as he later meets Casey.

From his telescope, Matt spies a new student across the lake as Casey jets around at night. He learns she has just moved from Chicago, sparking curiosity about a girl who seems like a wild departure from his orderly life. Their curiosity grows into an attraction that pull them toward each other.

Matt asks Casey out and they go to a concert together. Casey is wary after the spying incident, but she relents and the two polar opposites fall into a whirlwind romance. The romance brings excitement but also hints at the risk of getting pulled into each other’s troubled worlds.

Casey opens up about her volatile mood swings—moments of intense passion followed by fear and destructive impulses. The relationship deepens as Matt tries to understand her, drawn to her free-spirited nature while recognizing the instability. Her behavior becomes a central concern as her mental state deteriorates.

To grab Matt's attention during SATs, Casey deliberately sets off the school fire alarm, triggering chaos and her suspension. The incident enrages her parents and prompts plans to send her away to boarding school. Matt witnesses the fallout and begins to fear for her future.

Following the suspension, Casey overdoses on sleeping pills and is involuntarily committed to a psychiatric ward. Her hospitalization marks a turning point as her parents push for treatment. Matt keeps vigil, hoping for her recovery while worrying about his own responsibilities.

Matt visits Casey in the hospital despite his father's objections about neglecting school and siblings. On a second visit, they sneak out together to begin a road trip toward Mexico in Matt's SUV. Their bond deepens as they evade the staff and chase a sense of freedom.

The couple accepts a ride from a salesman; when he makes a sexual advance on Casey, she defends herself by burning him with a lit cigarette. A confrontation ensues, Matt fights the salesman, and they steal the car to continue their journey. The incident marks a turning point toward more dangerous decisions.

As they approach Mexico, Casey's behavior becomes more erratic and anxious, and Matt tries to put her needs first. He ultimately makes a phone call to Casey's parents to seek help, and Mrs. Roberts reveals that Casey's illness is manic depressive and she needs medication. Matt refuses to bring her home, fearing institutionalization.

Casey steals the car keys and drives off, prompting Matt to steal a truck to chase after her. In a desert, Casey threatens suicide with a gun she took from the salesman’s car, and Matt begs her to shoot him instead. She cannot, breaks down, and Matt embraces her as they return toward Seattle.

The couple makes it back to Seattle where Casey is readmitted to the psychiatric hospital. Matt returns home but feels the ache of being apart from Casey and questions what could have been.

Months later, Matt receives a letter from Casey saying she has moved back to Chicago and is feeling significantly better. She writes of a dream in which he appears and expresses pride in what they went through, hinting at a possible future together.